PGW(Gm)3(RCT)

Ynysangharad Park  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Rhondda Cynon Taff  

Pontypridd  

307503  

190013  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Public park  

1923-25  

Ynysangharad Park is registered as a well-preserved 1920s public park with sporting facilities, including tennis courts, bowling green, cricket pitch and lido, and ornamental features including a bandstand and a sunken rockwork garden. It also has group value with the grade II listed lido (LB 24891) and grade II* listed memorial by William Goscombe John (1869-1952) to commemorate Evan James (1809-78) and his son James James (1832-1902), composers of the Welsh National Anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers). The park was opened on 6th August 1923 by Field Marshal Viscount Allenby as a war memorial park. It was laid out on fields, allotment gardens and an orchard in the area between Ynysangharad House and the Brown Lenox Chain and Anchor Works on the east and the river Taff on the west and south. Gordon Lenox, who helped to establish the ironworks, had come to live at Ynysangharad House in 1873, and from then on the area was partly used by the public. The house and contents were sold, however, in 1904. A map of May 1909 shows that already a number of recreational areas had been created between the house and the river: there was a field used by the Pontypridd Cricket Club and another by the Pontypridd Tennis Club at the south end of the area, and Ynysangharad Tennis Court was on the west side. The east bank of the river, on the west side of the area, was all allotment gardens. In December 1919 thirty-three acres (13.4ha) were bought 'for providing enjoyment and pleasure for its [Pontypridd's] inhabitants'. The full price of £23,318 3s.6d. was paid by 1924. On 3rd May 1925 the bowling green was officially opened and the cricket ground was opened in 1924. The house, formerly lived in by the Lenox family, was situated on the north-east side of the park and remained in use until the 1960s as a health centre. The park has been reduced in size by the building of the A470 road across its eastern side in the early 1970s. Ynysangharad House was demolished to make way for it. The park is laid out with sports facilities and ornamental features, with a framework of tarmac paths. It is well planted with trees of various ages, both deciduous and coniferous. The main entrance is at the north end, flanked by modern square stone piers and modern iron railings. A wide tarmac path leads from here southwards along the west side of the park. To the east of this walk lies a recently installed playground and the lido (LB 24891). Beyond the lido is an open lawn bounded on the south by a wide tarmac path flanked by horse chestnut trees. At the east end of this path is a small triangular sunken garden, the Sunken or Italian Garden. The sunken garden is depicted in early postcards of the park. From the Sunken Garden a path runs northwards. It is flanked on its east by rockwork planted with conifers and shrubs. In one place the rockwork is about 2.5 m high, with a wall of large slabs of stone. To the east is an area of grass with mixed specimen trees planted informally, east of which is a war memorial. This was unveiled on 31 July 1989 by the Duke and Duchess of York. In the centre of the park, north-west of the cricket pitch, is a large formal circular sunken area, in the middle of which is a bandstand. There are four radial paths leading down to the central area, and one around the circumference. The radial paths and the central area are bordered by narrow flowerbeds for bedding. The bandstand is octagonal, set on a slightly raised crazy paving plinth, with two flights of stone steps leading up to it. It has a conical red tiled roof, iron piers and railings and is surrounded by narrow flowerbeds used for bedding. Old photographs show that this bed and the radial paths were originally edged with rockwork. To the north of the bandstand area the ground rises gently. At the top of the slope is a memorial (LB 24841) by Sir W. Goscombe John to two notable residents of Pontypridd, Evan James (1809-78) and his son James James (1832-1902), author and composer respectively of the Welsh national anthem. It consists of two flights of stone steps flanked by low stone walls and yew hedges leading up to the blue Pennant stone and bronze memorial topped by bronze statues of a harpist and the draped figure of a woman representing music and poetry respectively. The memorial was unveiled on 23 July 1930 by Lord Treowen. The southern end of the park is occupied by tennis courts, a bowling green, a cricket pitch and a rugby football ground at the eastern end. Sources: Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan (ref: PGW(Gm)2(RCT)